Evaluation of nutritional and toxicological effects of Treculia africana (Decne.) seed flour-supplemented diets on Clarias gariepinus (African catfish) fingerlings

A feeding trial was conducted to investigate the nutritional and toxicological effects of full fat Treculia africana seed flour- supplemented diets on growth performance, nutrient utilization, survival, histopathology and blood parameters of Clarias gariepinus juveniles. One hundred and fifty fingerlings of C. gariepinus of average weight of 2.55.96 ± 0.13 g were stocked and fed at 3 % body weight per day for 42 days. Five experimental diets containing 35 % crude protein in which groundnut cake (GNC) meal was replaced by full fat T. africana seed flour meal at 0 % (TAF0), 15 % (TAF15), 30 % (TAF30), 45 % (TAF45) and 60 % (TAF60) were formulated and compounded. Each treatment had three replicates using 10 catfish per 40-litre capacity plastic bowl. There were no significant differences (P>0.05) in protein efficiency rate and feed intake among the control and experimental fish. Packed cell volume was highest in fish on TAF45 (45 %) and was higher than fish fed TAF60 (60 %). Histopathology result showed no visible lesions in some of the tissues of fish fed with the experimental diets. Full fat T. africana seed flour might not be toxic to catfish; rather it seemed to be a nutritional source. Keywords: T. africana, C. gariepinus, blood parameters, nutrient utilization, toxicology